Eighteen days and counting

My eggs are in incubator #1 and it is now the l8th day so it is time to move them into the hatching incubator #2.   I have cleaned #2 incubator, the temperature is set at 99.5 or thereabouts and I have added water to the wells.  Just need to add the eggs dated “10” on them.

I candled the eggs after a week and took out any eggs that were not developing.   So, I am really hoping that all of the eggs hatch.   The humidity level has been a problem for me in the past.   It should be around 50 when they are in the first incubator and then 60 or so when they go into the second incubator (the last three days).

You don’t have to have two incubators.  I just have two because I am putting eggs in at different dates.  As the 18th day arrives for each egg, I transfer it to the second incubator.   This batch of eggs has Americuana, Barred Rock and Silkie eggs.

This will be my last batch of eggs for quite awhile.  I love the chicks but reality is, I have way too many chickens.  I really need to sell some and get the yards manageable for when we travel and I have a friend house/animal sit for me.   Right now, I have chickens separated into twelve different yards so it is a lot of work to go in and out of each yard filling waters, putting out feed and collecting eggs.

I will add more to this post when the eggs start hatching.  Wish me luck.

August 2 update:  So far my hatch rate is horrible and I think it is because my hygrometer isn’t working.  I think I had too much humidity and the chicks will actually drown or so I was told.   I believe I have gotten 4 chicks from this hatch but I have a four more eggs in the incubator.  I took the time to candle them this time and threw probably 6 or 8 away after a week because they were not fertile.  I am thinking my one rooster cannot take care of 11 hens in one yard.  Then in the Silkie yard, I don’t think the roosters are fertilizing the eggs yet,  since they are young.

Oh well, I have plenty of chickens, I think I have 115 and I have two hens sitting on 7 eggs.  That’s a gracious plenty.  It is now time to look them over and decide who I want to keep for future momma and pappas.